24 May 2023 01:24 pm Views - 2165
The proposed power tariff revisions will provide a 23 percent reduction to consumers who uses less than 30 units, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wikesekera told Parliament.
Minister Wijesekera who moved the motion to remove Janaka Ratnayake from the post of chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) said the fixed tariff will be reduced to Rs. 250 from Rs. 400.
He said the electricity tariff of those who use between 31 and 60 units will be reduced by 9 percent and those who use between 0 and 60 units will be reduced by 7 percent.
“This is not a motion to abolish an independent commission but only to remove a non-independent person. This person has intimidated other members of the PUCSL. He has also engaged in purchasing power from Ceylon Electricity Board and had resold it to others. In addition, the PUCSL has not been convened since January this year,” the Minister said.
Coming up with another allegation against Mr. Rarnayake, the Minister said the delay on the part of the PUCSL Chairman to approve the power tariff revision which was proposed from January this year has caused the CEB a loss of Rs. 32 billion.
“We itend to file a court case to recover this amount,” he said.
“We have also heard that Mr. Ratnayake has announced his candidature at the next Presidential election. However, a mentally disabled person cannot contest a presidential poll according to the Constitution,” the Minister also said. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)